Display bracket



Dec. 31, 1968 P. s. GRAY Y 3,418,740

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/ Pam/P .5. 6 64) 5y {a I l' 2 I ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,418,740 DISPLAY BRACKET Philip S. Gray, Miami Beach, Fla., assignortoSchacks Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 15,1967, Ser. No. 623,441 2 Claims. (Cl. 40-313) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURESales card bearing display bracket capable of holding open substantiallyany container having a pivoted or hinged lid or cover to make visiblethe interior of the container, particularly suitable for counter andfloor displays of luggage, fitted cases, trunks, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention the nature of theparticular container and extolling its merits. The invention may haveother and further uses as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Description of the prior art Applicant does not know of any specificprior art relating to a device for maintaining a piece of luggage andsimilar containers open to a desired extent so that a prospectivecustomer may view the interior of the luggage without objectionablyhandling it. Many pieces of luggage and such containers are not equippedwith folding brace means at one or both sides thereof, and in manyinstances when a piece of luggage such as a suitcase was displayed inopen position the suitcase was opened to a V-shape and then stood on endthus taking up an objectionable amount of space since it occupied moreroom than it would occupy when closed. At the present time most luggageis displayed closed, and it is necessary for a clerk to open and closevarious pieces of luggage in order to make a sale, especially where itis desired that many customers do not handle and thus soil luggage. Asfar as applicant knows there is now nothing on the market capable ofproperly displaying the interior of luggage and similar containers tothe general public in an open salesroom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The instant invention embodies an extremelysimple device, easily manipulated, highly durable, and pleasing inappearance. The device is in the form of a bracket adjustable to anysize piece of luggage or similar container, capable of holding thecontainer open to any desired extent, and which is provided with cardholding means, and when the device is in use the luggage occupies nomore counter space than it would have o'ccupied in closed position.*Further, the same device may be purchased by the public and used tomaintain luggage in open position while packing the same, the card inthat case being eliminated. It is therefore apparent with the instantinvention and its advantages above pointed out, the problems of properlydisplaying luggage with the interior visible to a customer is completelysolved and the customer has no need Whatever to handle the luggage ondisplay.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of apiece of luggage with the display bracket embodying principles of theinstant invention shown in operative association there with;

FIGURE 2 is a reduced side view of the structure of FIGURE 1 but showingthe cover of the luggage in a different angle of elevation;

FIGURE 3 is also a side view of the nature of FIG- URE 2 showing a stilldifierent angle of elevation of the cover;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially asindicated by the line IV-IV of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side view of a slightly different form ofbracket also embodying principles of the instant invention;

FIGURE 6 is a side view of a still different form of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a side view of a further form of the invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a side view of a still different form of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The instant invention may bemade in a number of diiferent styles without departing from theprinciples of the invention, and therefore several embodiments have beenillustrated. The purchaser of the display bracket may therefore make aselection and not be committed to the same bracket as a close competitormay be utilizing, and where an individual customer purchases a bracketfor home usage he may select the one he deems most apropos for hisindividual purposes.

That form of the instant invention seen in FIGURES 1-4 is shownassociated with a piece of luggage which, by way of example only, is inthe form of an attache case. This case comprises a bottom portion 1 anda cover 2 which is pivotally associated with the bottom.

The display bracket comprises a supporting bar 3, which in this instanceis a flat bar, to each end of which a clamp 4 is pivoted by means of apivot stud 5, both clamps being identical. Each clamp 4 is ofsubstantially U-shape, as seen best in FIGURE 5, to receive the edgeportion of the bottom and cover of the piece of luggage. A headed bolt 6is threaded through the outer leg of the clamp and has a cap nut 7 onits inner end so that the edge of the bottom or top of the case may begripped between the cap nut 7 and the pivot stud 5.

Secured, [as by soldering, welding, or in an equivalent manner to theinner side of the bar 3 are the spread ends of a wire 8 bent intoV-shape with the apex projecting away from the bar 3. At the apex of thewire 8 a known form of spring clip is secured, the clamp projectingtoward the bar 3. The spring clip 9 is designed to hold a card 10 withthe wire 8 functioning as a back for the card. Upon this card any andsuitable information concerning the particular piece of luggage may beprinted for the customers convenience. Should a large card be desired,rather than the smaller one illustrated, it may be prevented from anaccidental downward inclination by means of a rest 11 secured to andprojecting from the bar 3 adjacent the lower end thereof.

In use the instant bracket is extremely simple but nonethelesseffective. It is a simple expedient to determine the height to which thecase lid 2 is to be held, then place the lower clamp 4 over the sideedge of the case bottom 1 in the proper position, tighten the bolt 6,position the other clamp over the side edge of the lid or cover 2, andtighten the bolt 6, the pivotal connection of the clamps to the bar 3permitting the clamps to be adjusted to properly engage the edges of thecase. When so positioned, the bar 3 effectively maintains the lid opento the desired angle. It will be noted that the wire 8 extends inwardlyof the case and the card 10 may be easily positioned by pinching thespring clip 9 and inserting the card. It will be especially noted thatwith the card so positioned, the open case occupies no more counterspace than it would have occupied lying on its side when closed. Thecard extending over some of the interior of the case will not occlude acustomers view to the extent that a good examination of the interior ofthe case cannot be had and there is no need of the customer handling thecase.

In FIGURE 2 I have shown how the clamps may be adjusted relatively tothe bar 3 to hold the case cover 2 in a fully upright position. InFIGURE 3 the bar and clamps are relatively so adjusted as to hold thecase cover 2 at a lesser tangle than in FIGURE 1. These illustrationsare to indicate the feasibility of maintaining a case open at anydesired angle, and also to illustrate that the display bracket may beadjusted to support the cover of almost any size piece of luggage inopen position.

The display bracket may be as decorative as desired and made of anysuitable material such as metal, wood, or a thermosetting plastic.

The form of the invention seen in FIGURE 5 is the same as that abovedescribed insofar as the bar 3 and clamps 4 are concerned. The onlydifference is the elimination of the wire 8 and the card holding springclip 9 is secured directly to the bar 3 adjacent the central portionthereof. This form of the invention is desirable for smaller pieces ofluggage where a smaller card will be used.

In FIGURE 6 I have illustrated the display bracket in which thesupporting bar is made of two round pieces 12 and 13 telescopicallyassociated, the pieces being held in the desired position of adjustmentby means of a set screw 14 whereby the bracket is readily varied inlength as desired. The card holding spring clip 9 is preferably securedadjacent the upper end of the larger bar piece 12. At the outer endsthereof, the pieces 12 and 13 carry identical generally U-shaped edgeembracing members 15-15 for receiving the edges of the bottom and coversections of a piece of luggage.

In the form of the invention seen in FIGURE 7, the supporting bar is asolid piece 16 carrying a fixed generally U-shaped edge engaging member17 at each end thereof. The card holding spring clip 9 in this instanceis shown mounted at a different angle, extending parallel with thesupporting bar 16 and secured to a pin 18 welded or equivalentlyattached to the bar 16 and projecting laterally therefrom.

In FIGURE 8 I have shown a form of the invention in which the supportingbar 19 is one piece, and carries an edge embracing spring clamp 20 ateach end thereof which will automatically clamp the respective edge of apiece of luggage. In this instance the card holding spring clip 9 issecured directly to the bar 19, and also secured to the bar 19 is aninwardly projecting flat strip 21 acting as a backer for the card heldin the spring clip.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a simple, easilymanipulated, attractive and eflicient display bnacket for maintaining apiece of luggage in open position for examination by a customer withoutthe need of handling the luggage. Further, the display bracket iseconomical to manufacture and highly durable. Where the term piece ofluggage is used herein, it is to be construed as including all types ofluggages, handbags, fitted cases, trunks, and various containers havinga generally similar construction.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A display bracket to hold open a piece of luggage having a bottom anda top pivotal relatively to said bottom to display the interior thereof,comprising end of said bar means to embrace the respective side edge ofthe bottom and top to hold the top and bottom of the piece of luggageseparated,

card holding means secured to said supporting bar means to hold a cardextending inwardly of the bar,

a V-shaped wire with the legs secured to said supporting bar means toextend over the interior of the piece of luggage, and

a spring clip to hold a card secured to the apical region of said wiremeans.

2. The display bracket of claim 1 including a card rest carried by saidsupporting bar means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 683,321 9/1901 Neubauer et al.217-61 795,311 7/1905 Shepley 21761 X 834,489 10/1906 Purdum 217-61991,102 5/1911 Speice 217-61 X 1,198,511 9/1916 Applas 217-61 2,413,56912/ 1946 Isakson 24835 1 3,180,668 4/ 1965 Brown 292276 ROY D. FRAZIER,Primary Examiner.

FRANK DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

